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You don’t have to spend a small fortune on school expenses. Follow our money saving tips to help you get your kids back to school for less.

The back to school rush is fast approaching and it can be a stressful and expensive time of the year for parents. As a parent, you want your child to have the best of everything. But if you’re already juggling a lot of bills, this can make finances a little tight.

You can make savings when kitting your kids out ready for the new school term. We’ll take you through our back to school savings tips.

Save on uniform essentials

According to the supermarket chain Morrisons, two-thirds of school uniforms need to be replaced within the first six months. With this in mind, it’s important to shop for quality whilst keeping your budget in mind. You should compare what’s on offer with different retailers to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Before shopping for a new uniform, take a look at your kid’s previous uniform to see if anything can be recycled. It’s worth checking whether there’s any items which are still in good condition. If there is, you might not need to buy a new one.

When you’re buying a school uniform, make sure that you keep your budget in mind. It’s a good idea to make a list of the essential buys you need. Various retailers now offer a back to school range to suit many budgets, so we’ll have a look at some of the best current deals below*.

Let’s take two of the cheapest supermarkets, Aldi and Lidl. You can pick up a jumper, twin pack of polo shirts and trousers or a skirt, all for less than £4.

Alternatively, Asda, Morrisons and Tesco also offer competitive prices on school buys. You can pick up a full uniform at one of these supermarket chains for less than £10, depending on the size you buy.

Morrisons' Nutmeg school range offers a sweatshirt, twin pack of polo shirts and trousers or a skirt from £7. Another option is Asda’s George clothing range. You can pick up a school sweatshirt, a twin pack of polo shirts and trousers from £7.50. At Tesco’s F&F range, a jumper, a pack of two polo shirts and a skirt starts from £8.50.

Be sure to compare between stores so you get the most for your money. You may be able to find offers, deals or money-off coupons and this could make it cheaper at a particular store.

Cheap stationery buys

There are a number of ways you can cut back on stationery buys for the kids. Why not do a quick sweep around the house for any stationery items that can be recycled? You may be surprised at what you find.

It can be all too tempting to impulse buy, especially if you’re amongst the last minute school shop rush. If the school has provided you with a list of supplies your child will need, it’s a good idea to stick to it. This way, you’ll only buy what is needed and you're less likely to go over budget.

If you need to pick up stationery for more than one child, why not buy in bulk? This can be a more cost-effective way of shopping for school supplies. You can always store the leftover supplies away for the next school term.

It’s important to shop around to make sure you’re getting the most for your money. Have a look for discounts or stationery clearance. Don’t forget to check out online retailers such as eBay and Amazon for deals too.

Grab a discount

You may be able to find additional savings online. Voucher codes are a great way of saving money on your essential school buys. You may be surprised at how many discounts are available. Before you buy anything online, you should first check on various voucher sites for any promotional codes. You could get free delivery or money off your shopping basket total.

If you tend to buy from a particular retailer often, why not consider signing up to their loyalty scheme or newsletter? Retailers tend to send special offers to their members – this is great for when it’s time for back to school shopping.

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